MK. CHARLES DEVLINI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that several English boards of guardians have refused to consider tenders of Irish chemical and drug companies for medicine supplies, and have informed such Irish companies that the contracts for such goods are invariably given to local firms; and whether, in view of the fact that the Local Government Board of Ireland insist that Irish boards of guardians must consider English as well as Irish tenders in such matters, he will take such steps as will place Irish firms on the same footing as English firms where tenders for medicine supplies are invited by English boards of guardians.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI believe that some boards of guardians in England and 206 Wales only consider tenders from local firms, but I am not aware of any case in which a distinction has been made between tenders from Irish firms and tenders from other persons not belonging to the locality. It does not appear to me to be desirable that a board of guardians should only consider local tenders, but at present it does not seem to me to be necessary to alter the existing regulations on the subject.